Pizzeria Luigi, Golden Hill, San Diego, Take 2

As with the most recent ramen post, this is, currently, my favorite thin/NY style pizza.

Pizzeria Luigi.

Many that I've broached the topic of Luigi's with have stated a preference for the Golden Hill location, over the one in North Park.  For me these two locations, known as the two true Luigi spots in San Diego (neglecting entirely Mission Beach's Luigi's at the Beach for it's obvious douchy locale and my abhorrence to the falsity of the residents that have invaded this once peaceful, sleepy beach town, and not at all connected to the Pizzeria Luigi's) for me, I have no preference to the pie offered at either.  Do I have a preference for the ambiance at either?  Absolutely, the Golden Hill spot is best.  It's the original, where it all began, and you can feel it there.  But really, grab a pie at either and fill your face.

YES, I LIKE THIS PIE!

Now, just to clarify, we are talking ordering a whole pie, not a slice.  Critiquing a pizza joint based on a slice is just not fair in my book.  Storing and re-heating a slice has so many factors that can go wrong that to spend time on that is a bit more of an undertaking than I'm ready to get into here, at least for this post.  A future post, or series of posts, covering the best slice in SD?  Hell to the yeah, that will happen.

Luigi's

Thin, crispy, nice pull to the dough, yeasty, good balance between toppings and crust.  Yeah, I think it's better than Bronx, on average.  More consistent.  And we'll do that head to head soon as well.
 
Bronx vs Luigi's

Here's the slice case.  Very creative options, which isn't really my thing, but they do them well.  I've previously highlighted the loaded baked potato pie, nice but with some flaws, and coming up in a sec, the BBQ chicken pie....  Which I have to say, the bite I had was pretty good.

But first, and as always, let's enjoy a beer

What I l also like about Luigi's is that they keep it kind of simple.  Just a few draft beers to choose from.  We don't need a million choices.  I can only drink one at a time, so just have a good one for me.

And, it's a beautiful day outside, let's enjoy it

OK, BBQ chicken.

I think the reason this worked so well was that they kept the toppings to a minimum thus not forcing the pie to be in the oven longer than normal, thereby not totally fucken annihilating the crust.

It was good

Could I eat more than a few bites?  No.  If I did I'd want to just go get some BBQ.  But here, I want pizza, and to me that means read sauce, cheese, maybe pepperoni, etc..  Pizza should taste like pizza.  Just like I don't want soy to taste like duck, etc...  I think you get where I'm gong with this one.  No fake shit.  Live real, yo.

And then, in typical DVA fashion, I forgot to take the photo of the pie!!!!!!   Arggggggg, this finger is to me, cause it's stupid to miss the money shot.  ARGGGGGGG!!!!!

Pepperoni, yummmm

Pesto and cheese.  Also Yummmmmm

Yeah, go to Luigi's

Hell, go to Bronx for all I care, I will soon. 

Just get out there and eat some pie, wherever you can get one!

DVA

Trip Advisor's Top 10 Cities for Pizza.......SAN DIEGO is #1!!!!!

Uhmm, yeah, this seems crazy even to me.....

Apparently Trip Advisor compiled reviews and opinion from travelers that utilize their website and ranked cities based on the highest average rating, by city, for all restaurants that serve pizza.

Fricken San Diego is #1!

If this was a horse race NYC doesn't finish in the money!

Please click the link below and read the whole story for yourself.

And, a big thanks and "good looking out" to Tracey for giving me the heads up on this one.

Nice work everyone, you made this happen, go out an have a slice today, you deserve it!

DVA out

http://www.tripadvisor.com/PressCenter-i6185-c1-Press_Releases.html

Awesome Sushi, Niigata Japan

Location, unknown, unless you can read the place-setting above, of which I cannot.

What is known is that this is gonna totally kick ass, seriously.  

We've had a long day, early to rise, taxis, meetings, trains, you get the point, and now it's time to chill, eat, drink, be merry.

Let's get this party started with a beer

Ahhhhhhhh, now we're ready to eat.

As always with these posts from Japan, I'll explain what I can, but for the most part you'll just have to read with your eyes.

This is fresh, mouse-made tofu and asparagus

Sashimi (various types of tuna, red snapper, squid, egg, giant clam, etc....)

I thought the shrimp on the soy sauce dish was cool, and this is my blog so I can just do as I please.  

I like that

And now I'm pissed. 

This is a bowl of live shrimp.  There were two bowls delivered to the table.  Yeah, alive, swimming and shit.  And I video'd the removal of said shrimp (by hand) and the ripping off of the shell (yes, while still alive and kicking) and then, while holding the head, the placing of the shrimp in the mouth and biting at the neck (do they have necks?!?!??!?!?!)  Does it matter?  

It was delicious, but the video won't upload!  Not to Youtube nor this blogspot nor anything.  Sofaking pissed cause IT IS cool.

I apologize but you'll just have to take my word for it and imagine the rest.

The Aftermath

Oh yeah, a great time for a sake break!

And we must have different cups for each type

This is obviously a fish, but no idea what type.  The long half red/white thing is ginger

This was really great, absolutely delicious

And now let's break for more sake...

Words are not necessary

Awesome

Miso soup from the previously fallen solders perhaps?

Thanks for coming along for the ride.

Eat more sushi, wash it down with more scotch.

DVA

Tajima 2, Ramen, San Diego

http://tajimasandiego.com/Tajima2.html

Welcome to my favorite ramen in San Diego

Yes, favorite.  Mine.

I have not tried all the ramen shops in San Diego, many, but not all, and I didn't say that this is the best, as that is a very subjective word, just my favorite.  "Best" can change based on your personal taste that day, your mood of the hour, what you ate earlier can also have an effect on your pallet, songs in your head, nostalgia, all of these can play a big part in food enjoyment.  So no, the best ramen (or anything for that matter) does not exist.  This is simply where I go when I want to eat ramen.  

It's awesome.

The first thing that is awesome about this place is that it is pretty darn authentic Japanese.  Owned and managed by a Japanese dude, some of the workers are Japanese, the food, to me, tastes of what I've enjoyed in Japan, and this (just below) is SUPER DUPER Japanese! 

When you need service at your table in Japan, even at the nicest restaurants, there is normally a button you push, and people start running to your table.  It's awesome, a great system.  No looking around for a waitress, trying to get eye contact, raising your arm for 10 minutes.  

Just push the button, perfect, easy, I like.

What I also like, very much, is Kimchi, fermented rotting cabbage.  And at Tajima 2 it's my favorite, other than what I make at home....

Hannah was along for the ride, and here's her bowl.

Tonkotsu broth (pork bone), thin noodles (also what are considered the standard in Japan) and no adds, just straight up.  

I had Kakuni Ramen (Pork Belly) and also the Tonkotsu broth, thin noodles.

Both also come with a half a medium boiled egg (which is usually the best thing in the bowl) and nori and green onions, also two thin slices of pork loin.

Pork Belly

Egg and Nori

I like to add a little of the spice from the shaker that's on the table

It's  nuclear hot, but man, you just can't wait, smells fantastic

Yeah, eat it!

Nom nom nom

This meal was just like this post, short and sweet.  I think the total elapsed time from entering to exiting was 30 minutes.  Ramen is the fast food of Japan, and we wanted to respect that.

Eat more ramen

DVA